When I came to Alcoholics Anonymous in 1983, I wondered, sometimes aloud, why didn’t someone “take over.” The process of group conscience seemed ponderous and some members seemed not astute enough to make the “right” decisions. I was told by my sponsor that in the group conscience our ultimate authority, God, speaks and that we trust that that loving God’s Will takes us in the right direction. Needless to say, I was sure she didn’t mean what she said. I was sure that secretly the “wise” and “educated” members met and took the group where it needed to go. I was wrong.
In group conscience we listen to the least educated with as much attention as we do to the most educated. We weigh the opinion of the youngest member with as much regard as we do the longest sober member. We consider the opinion of the minority view and many times we change the direction of the group because we had never considered the merits of the obscure view having been expressed by the only “nay” when given the opportunity to tell us why she voted “nay.”
Tradition Two leads me to “trust God” in all things undertaken by the Fellowship. Many times over the past twenty-eight years, I’ve questioned “group conscience” only to find that in the end the decision made was the best direction for all. That is the beauty of “group conscience,” it is God’s voice telling us what is best for all of us, not just some of us. Each group is a fellowship of equals. No matter what an individual member’s background, education or professional expertise, no member has authority over the group. In this way, the Fellowship reaches out to all who would seek its comfort and provides the atmosphere of a sense of belonging to all members.
My sponsor gave me a copy of a series of articles on the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous that appeared in the Grapevine in 1969. The questions were intended for the individual’s use. Many groups, however, use them as a basis for their discussion topic as they study the Traditions. My sponsor gave them to me in an effort to help me find enough humility to be of service to our group. Some of the questions pertaining to Tradition Two are:
1. Do I criticize or do I trust and support my group officers, AA committees, New comers? Old-timers?
2. Am I absolutely trustworthy, even in secret, with AA Twelfth Step jobs or other AA responsibility?
3. Do I look for credit in my AA jobs? Praise for my AA ideas?
4. Do I have to save face in group discussion or can I yield in good spirit to the group conscience and work cheerfully along with it?
5. Although I have been sober a few years, am I still willing to serve my turn at AA chores?
6. In group discussions, do I sound off about matters on which I have no experience and little knowledge?
I am constantly amazed that the lessons of early sobriety and the direction of a sponsor who did not seem wise at the time, still serve as the basis of a happy, joyous and free sober life.
Betty H.
Step two, “came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”
The compulsion to drink for me was not the only “Merciless obses-sion” that came to compel me in my insanity of alcoholism. Having had lost faith in the God I had come to perceive as punitive, wrathful and vindictive. At first I was torn and highly threatened when told “it was highly suggest-ed” I would probably want to en-list the help of a Power greater than my admitted powerlessness. Because the idea that I could choose my own concept of that Power was as of yet foreign to me, although appealing, however I was still fearful. I began witnessing in the Fellowship, those that did rely heavily on a Higher Power (God) seemed to be living healthier, hap-pier lives, compared to those who struggled and even rebelled against this concept.
The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous was teaching me to cease fighting everyone and every-thing. One day in my early morn-ing home group as it was our habit to read from the wall the 12 tradi-tions the phrase “ . . . A loving God as he may express himself in our group conscience” leaped from that wall into my mind, but most of all into my heart. I decided then and there I would try to cultivate a conscious contact with that Love. In doing that I was handed another spiritual tool of the AA program, not the least of which are “prayer and meditation”. Also I found that my outlook and attitude about others was changing to seeking to be of service as I trusted more and more in that Loving Presence, whom I choose to call the “God of Love”. As I have began to see others as more loving I become aware of my own feelings of love. I “no longer live in a hostile world”, I no longer felt the compulsion (insanity) to drink.
My Higher Power, “a Loving God”, can restore me to what I once believed to be irrevocably lost – my sanity and serenity. I have a program to practice (and yes, it is a work in progress) with the loving help of my Higher Power, who is restoring me to mental, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being, one day at a time. For this I am grateful enough not to pick up that first drink, also one day at a time. Oh and I am much happier . . . And that I choose to call sanity . . . True serenity.
“Perhaps there is a better way – we think so. For we are now on a dif-ferent basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are in the world to play the role He assigns. Just to the ex-tent that we do as we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity.” Alcoholics Anonymous page 68
~ The New Yorker
Fridays 6:40am
Market Street Grill, SLC
What have I done on my days off lately? Saturday morning January 21,2012. After a short walk around the old neighbor hood Lucky (world famous Yellow Lab and ace pheasant finder) my trusty companion and side kick took a short ride to AA Central Office 80 W. Louise Ave. Upon arrival it was very obvious that this was not your normal quiet Saturday. It was barley 10:45 and fortunately for me I got the very last parking spot. Funny I don’t remember it being like that in the past.
After stopping to mark the telephone pole and the west tree Lucky headed for the front door with me bringing up the rear. As we entered we were greeted by a strange and unfamiliar sound. Noise, lots of it and laughter, loud laughter, coming from several places at once. Who were all these people I wondered silently as I took a quick inventory of what was going on. Two people were at the counter buying chips and books for their group from our volunteer Megan, Charlie was in the library admiring his new wall and map for the foreign language AA Big Books from around the world. Many thanks to Doug C. and Bob for the many hours they put in helping Charlie’s vision come to life. Did you know that every time World services publishes a new big book Charlie buys and donates one to Central Office. Because of his generosity any time someone needs a book in a published language your Central Office has the ability to accommodate them. They buy Charlie’s book and we simply replace it for the next person in need. Charlie’s vision is slightly larger than his wallet and he could use a little help moving it to the next level. Come check it out and if you think it’s cool he has a little donation can on the wall and would appreciate your help.
In our new committee, computer, boiler room (formally Ron’s Roost) I found Jonathon our computer, website and communication wizard hard at work hooking up dual monitors to one of our resurrected computers.(Jonathon was not making a lot of noise but I did see him smile once or twice.) Also present were Christy R. and Shirley from Mike and Shirley fame. They were laughing and making noise. Sponsor, Sponsee stuff I think.
Continuing on into the meeting room I found two unknowns taking inventory of chips and drinking coffee and eating bagels. Just remembered I forgot breakfast and coffee in my haste to get to the Central Office. Oh yea what happened to Lucky?
Silly me he’s in the kitchen where else. When I got to the kitch-en it was plain to see he found a rookie and convinced them if he didn’t have a bagel with schmir he was going to perish on the spot. He ducked because he knew the jig was up and he was busted. I did manage to find him a dog cookie so he was somewhat happy. As is usually the case there was a hot pot of strong coffee and plenty of other stuff to get a good sugar/caffeine buzz going. I spent the next 3-4 hours enjoying coffee and good company, did a little housework, helped Charlie take his vision over the top, screwed up the cash register (sorry Tonuah), sat in on a couple of committee meet-ings and basically had a great time.
I left around 3:30 funny I thought we closed a 2:00 to go see my dad for a couple of hours and then came back a 6:00 for pot luck dinner and The All Groups Meeting at 7:00. This month is was sponsored by the Nomadic Lunch Group aka the bowling alley meeting. The food was good, the discussion panel was great and the attendance was the largest yet. Has your group signed up to sponsor a meeting yet. If not why not? Get involved have some fun join us.
I got to come back on Sunday to watch the playoffs even though my Packers and Christy’s Saints didn’t make the show. We will be here for the Superbowl also, so bring something and participate.
On Tuesday from 2-6:00 I get to volunteer again. Have you signed up with Betty H. for time to volunteer? Come down and see the changes. I think you too will feel the difference and like the changes. Central Office is not just a place to get a book and a chip anymore. It’s a place full of life and the AA spirit. Come answer the phones and help another alcoholic or get helped by an alcoholic. See you there.
Your Humble Servant
Nick R.
Central Office Chairman of the Board
Today started like any other day. I usually wake early, dress and pour myself a cup of coffee. I needed to let the dog out for his morning constitutional and as I was doing so I remembered from the news the night before that there was to be a lunar eclipse, which was supposed to be visible in the morning sky. Sure enough… just on top of the full moon I could see the earth’s shadow just starting creep onto the top of it.
The Dog finished with his duties and I was getting cold so I went back inside and continued my preparations for work. I took a couple of minutes to sit down and enjoy the rest of my coffee while catching up on the morning news before leaving for the day.
I was feeling a bit uneasy for some reason and couldn’t shake the thought of the lunar eclipse that was going on. I decided to put on a jacket, grabbed another cup of coffee and went outside on the porch and began to observe this rare sight.
As I did so I became keenly aware of the environment around me. It was a cold crisp morning without a cloud in the sky. All the leaves had fallen off the trees and there were only bare branches left which made a web like design on the dark morning sky. The moon and its eclipse phenomenon were visible through the branches and it was a beautiful sight.
My home is located high on the east bench of the Salt Lake valley, which affords me a great view of the valley floor. Many thousands of sparkling lights were clearly visible of a city just waking up. I could also see the grey outline of the Oquirrh Mountains across the valley in my panoramic view. This com-bined with my view of the moon through the branches was an incredibly beautiful and peaceful sight.
Even though it was quite cold I considered it would be a great time to meditate and reflect while I enjoyed this gorgeous scene. I then noticed that the shadow of the earth was creeping down the face of the moon. The curvature of the earth’s shadow was clearly visible in the face of the moon. As I watched the shadow move ever so slowly down its face, I thought about the sun, and how it had to be directly behind me in order to project the earth shadow so vividly on the moon. Then I realized that the curvature I was witnessing was actually the opposite side of the earth that I was standing on. The part of the shadow where I was located, on this planet, was not even visible yet and probably wouldn’t be before the eclipse was over. I thought about how the earth is over a quarter of a million miles away from the moon. The sun behind me is on average about 90 million miles away from the earth. These three heavenly bodies and the solar system they live in didn’t even amount to a pixel of light in the totality of the universe. Now all of the sudden I am beginning to feel very, very insignificant and I was overwhelmed with of how utterly unimportant I was in the total scheme of things.
My thoughts immediately took me back to my other life. My life with alcohol and before sobriety! I though about how big my ego was before I really understood ego, about how grandiose I was, and about all the people I had harmed, the family and friends I had disappointed, the lies I told, the things I had stolen, all the people I had hurt in one way or another, and the times I cheated as well. Even though I have often demonstrated many of the fine values I was taught by my parents, those acts could in no way justify my reprehensible actions. The guilt, shame, and remorse were always with me.
I reflected how in my teens I found I was able to mask those character defects with alcohol, which was to work well for the next twenty-five years. When I drank I just didn’t care about what I did or whom I did it to. I could justify every little lie and every bad deed. When I couldn’t I would simply drink more and it became easier to forget and bury myself in denial. I always felt guilty and remorseful, and for good reason, but I could easily mask that with alcohol as well. I began to believe my lies, which was comforting temporarily, but the overwhelming feeling of guilt and remorse never went away.
I became conscious of the moon again. The earth’s shadow was now covering about half of the moon. As I gazed around the valley floor, I noticed out of the corner of my eye the sky was starting to get light. I turned to the east and sure enough, the sun was beginning to rise. It was a beautiful sight as well and complimented the already beautiful sky. I wanted to see it all, and I became a bit frustrated because I couldn’t look to the east and west at the same time. I wished I had a better vantage point, like sitting on a star where I could witness this miracle all at once. Mornings have always been my favorite time of the day and today was certainly turning out to be one of the more exceptional ones.
I was completely overwhelmed with the beauty of the moment, and simply could not continue to think of those depressing times. My thoughts switched from chaos and despair of my old life to the good fortune of the new and how privileged and blessed I was to have the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous, the guidance of the Big Book and the steps to help me become a better person. With the unity of the program, hard work on the steps, and service to those in and out of the fellowship, I am now comfortable in my own skin and I believe, a much better person than I was before.
By now the moon is almost covered with the earths shadow and has a gorgeous orange copper glow. The sun is slowly rising and the eastern sky is becoming lighter with a vivid blue hue. The moon has a hint of whitish light circling the outer edge of it. The beauty of the moment is overwhelming.
I thought of my long lasting struggle with the concept of God. Is there or isn’t there? If there is, who or what is it. Am I atheist or agnostic? Why couldn’t I believe like others say they do? In that regard I have always felt I was in a no man’s land… and alone. I was alone now but I didn’t feel alone. I felt I was witnessing something powerful.
When I redirected my attention to the final minutes of the lunar eclipse, only the very tip of the bottom of the moon is visible. It almost looked like a little tiny light bulb shining. It was as if I was being given a message. Man has created and accomplished many fantastic things through his evolution including flying to and walking on the very moon I have been observing. However, no man on this planet could ever replicate beauty I have witnessed this morning.
I have never seen a bolt of white light, nor have I heard God speak as others say they have. But that is their story and I be-lieve it is their truth. I have in the past however acknowledged that God is Love and now I also believe that God is the all-encompassing Universe. Today I am willing to accept all that the Universe, or God as I understand him, places in my life… and I act accordingly.
The moon has now dropped below the horizon and the sun has shown itself in the east. I have just enjoyed one of the most wonderful hours of my life. A new day has started and I am grateful.
I have seen God at work this morning and furthermore, I be-lieve God has been working on me for some time now without my knowing it. And for that I am extremely grateful.
Life is good.
Alan L.
On December 13, 2011 the Central Office Reps elected a new panel of chairs for the various committees needed to insure that the work of the SL Central Office continues. This panel will serve for the next year, then a new panel will be elected that will serve a full two year term. This gets our election process on the same timeframe with the Area and the Districts.
We thought you might enjoy hearing from each of these trusted servants so they were all asked to submit a couple paragraphs as introductions.
Activities Committee
Happy New Year my peeps! My name’s Shar and I’m an alcoholic. My sobriety date is January 23rd, 2001 and for that I’m grateful! God willing I’ll be 11 by the end of the month. I’m very excited to join my fellow servants already serving here at central office. I’ve been inspired by what I’ve seen and all the work put into bettering central office and I’m honored to have the opportunity to get involved!
The activities held by central office in the past have been a hit and I hope to keep it that way, bring some new faces in to help serve on the committee. I’m amazed at how many people are willing and enthusiastic to get involved! Thanks everyone!
In love and service,
Shar C.
activities@saltlakeaa.org
Hotline Telephone Committee
Hello, my name is Tim H and I’m an alcoholic. My sobriety date is August 5, 2010. I’m excited for the opportunity to be of service at Central Office. Service is an important part of my sobriety and I look forward to learning more.
My goal is to be able to help carry the message to alcoholics throughout the Salt Lake area by keeping the phone line running well throughout the year. I hope to recruit groups and individual alcoholics to answer the phone line during the hours Central Office is closed and make the process as convenient as possible for those who volunteer to answer the phone line.
Thank you all for being part of my sobriety, I wish you all a wonderful sober year!
In grateful service,
Tim H.
hotline@saltlakeaa.org
Newsletter Committee
Greetings family, my name is Doug and I am an alcoholic. My sobriety date is January 14, 1983. So this month, God willing, I will celebrate 29 years of continuous sobriety. Service to this fellowship continues to be a large part of my recovery. I still learn so much from you. I am eternally grateful for that.
My hope is that the Salt Lake Central Office has a stellar year. With all of the dedicated people that are on board I’m sure it will. I want to see the LIFELINE become an even better publication. Carrying the message of hope of the program as well as news and events of your Salt Lake Central Office.
Doug R.
lifeline@saltlakeaa.org
Outreach Committee
I am honored to continue serving as your Outreach Chair. I’ve been at this for the better part of the year and I’m having a blast going out to different groups and meeting future Central Office reps. I’ve also had fun watching the All Groups meeting take hold and become a regular fixture here. It’s great to meet new friends, and the food is always fabulous.
My goal is to visit each of the 200+ meetings in the greater Salt Lake Area by the end of 2012. This will be done with the help of others who see the benefit of contacting unrepresented groups and establishing a supportive relationship. Another goal is to continue to invite groups to host the All Groups meeting with the hope that the meeting will grow and we will have to move to a larger venue!
Thank you to those who have visited meetings and gotten contacts. You are helping to create a vital, effective AA community.
Wishing us all a grand, sober new year, in loving service,
Wendy W.
outreach@saltlakeaa.org
Twelfth Step Committee
Hello, my name is Carl C. I am an alcoholic. My sobriety date is March 17, 2010. I am young in sobriety but older in life’s experiences. I have lived in Utah since 1973. I graduated West High in 1973. I served in the U.S. Navy for 4 yrs. 1975-1979. My home group is A Way Out.
I am anxious to learn and grow as the 12th step chair for central office. I look forward to getting to know many of you, and working with you in service to those who may need an extra hand getting their lives turned around. May our Higher Power give us all strength and happiness this coming year. Blessings to all.
Carl C.
12step@saltlakeaa.org
Volunteer Committee
Effective January 2nd SLC A.A. Central Office will be staffed by volunteers. Hopefully this will help us operate in the black and within our membership contributions. Several central offices around the country operate successfully with only volunteers.
As Central Office Volunteer Coordinator I will recruit and staff Central Office Mondays through Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. I realize this is a big job, but who better to staff our Central Office and answer calls from suffering alcoholics than our sober members in service? Who can direct folks wanting to buy literature better than those of us who are alive and well today with the help of that literature? Central Office belongs to our membership and I believe we are the most effective help to our members and the alcoholics who still suffer.
Betty H.
volunteer@saltlakeaa.org
Website Committee
Greetings from the vast, undiscovered country of Internet! My name is Jonathan and it is my untempered delight to help bring our local fellowship into the modern digital frontier. A new generation is emerging from the dark night into the sunlight of the spirit, and they come bearing smart phones. I want the hand of AA to be there.
Our website serves a vital role in welcoming and informing current and future members of the goings-on of AA in the area. It has been a pleasure exploring what is possible on the web with the 12 traditions and 12 concepts. More tech advancements are coming, making the central office more efficient and able to serve the needs of the groups.
Thank you to everyone who tells me when things are broken, when things are great and where we need to improve.
Jonathan H.
webservant@saltlakeaa.org
Saturday evening December 31,2011 and I am sitting at Central Office with members of my Sunday morning meeting The Garden Variety Group that meets every Sunday morning at Anna’s Restaurant at 9:30. Please feel free to join us for a great meeting and pretty good breakfast.
As is normal Doug, our LIFELINE editor, has extended the deadline once again so yours truly can get off his you know what and compose the final verse of the year. What a year is has been! Central Office has new Articles of Incorporation, New Bylaws, held our first ever spring kick off and extreme yard sale, we formed a new outreach committee, had a great picnic, our first ever chili cook off, elected new committee chairs and as of midnight tonight will begin to operate with a mostly volunteer staff with the exception of our bookkeeper Tonuah. WHAT DID I JUST SAY? HAVE WE LOST OUR MINDS? ARE THE INMATES REALLY GOING TO RUN THE ASYLUM? Relax, breathe in, breath out, concentrate on your breathing, are you okay? Good let me explain. Ron and Sandy have retired. Tomorrow we are going to have a retirement party and I hope you had a chance to get down here and thank both of them for all they have done for Central Office over the past 22 years for Ron and 17 years for Sandy. Both of them will be missed and surly there will be bumps in the road without them.
In August Wendi W, Christy R, and myself attended the Inter-group Seminar in Tucson Az. What we learned was that most groups have found themselves running in the red and that many are running successfully with an ‘all volunteer’ staff. Our office is very lucky in that we have Betty H. heading up our volunteer committee. What does that mean for us? I’m watching people signing up for times as we speak. Have you signed up yet? Why not? If you don’t volunteer soon you might just get ‘voluntold’ if I know Betty. We are counting on you for help. No longer do we have the luxury of resting on our laurels and letting someone else to take care of Central Of-fice for us. Now is the time for the community to stand up and see to it that Central Office is open
and capable of meeting the needs of the AA community and the still suffering alcoholic when they make the call for help. To be there for the visitor that needs to know where an AA meeting is close to his or her location. I will be here from 2-6pm on Tuesdays starting in January. What about you, what can you do? We can make a spot for you. 1 hour 2 hours 4 hours a week, every other week, once a month. Make a commitment, it doesn’t hurt, it won’t kill you. If we don’t have a volunteer for specific time we won’t be open. We should be open, we need to be open, call Betty H., our volunteer committee chair at 801-883-9026 or 801-244-0878 or email her at volunteer@saltlakeaa.org
Ask the people that volunteer at Central Office most of them will tell you that they are having a good time. They meet people from all over when they come in for schedules, chips and literature. New people with questions about AA. Old timers that have great stories to share and people passing through and just stopping to say hey.
Can you paint, do you clean carpet, wanna help make Central Office more user friendly? You should know that we are rear-ranging the place. I suspect that it can be done by the end of February if we have a little help. Call me (Nick) 801-664-1206 or nick7141@xmission.com then call me at 801-664-1206 and tell me to look at my email. What can I say it’s not easy being hi-tech challenged.
Hopefully you had a safe, sober and memorable Christmas and New Year. If you did be thankful. If not let us know how we can help, Lets make 2012 the best year ever at Central Office. Come join us and lets have some fun.
Your humble servant,
Nick R.
Greetings to all. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and a safe and enjoyable Black Friday. To all of my fans (both of you) I apologize for not writing for the November issue of the LIFELINE. I was very busy trying to secure a paying job with a race team in Las Vegas. Being unsuccessful I decided to take a much needed vacation in South Dakota and take out my frustrations on several pheasants that lived in the area. To the rest of you that read this column I am sorry to say that I’m back.
I would like to welcome the new board members that were elected at the November CO Reps meeting. Kent S. will be moving from Trustee to Secretary, Jeremy C. will be moving from Alternate Trustee to Trustee. Rich W. will be our new Alternate Trustee. Welcome to all and I look forward to working with you. Apparently no one wanted to stand for treasurer. That position is still open and hopefully will be filled at the next Reps meeting. In December we will elect chairs for standing committees. Another chance to do service work.
Were you there, did you partake, what did you think of the movie? What am I talking about? Why the Chili Cook Off of course. What a culinary extravaganza, never in my life did I consider how many different ways there were to make chili. We had over twenty different varieties of chili that ranged from traditional southwestern to white bean and chicken, we had chili with an Italian flair, a New Orleans Twist, a Chile and corn bread casserole, Chili Verdi, a pumpkin chili, and even one imported from Costco. Oh yea did I mention that the movie was good and the company was fantastic. I guess to sum it up it was a gas. A big thank you to Joel and Penny for putting it on and pulling it off. Also to all of you that helped with the set up and clean up a big thank you as well. Many hands make light work.
Ron and Sandy have announced plans to retire at the end of the year. Ron has been at Central Office for 22 years and Sandy has been there for over 17. Thank you to both of them for all they have done for Central Office. They will be missed greatly. Central Office will be open on New Year ’s Day and an open house is planned for Ron and Sandy from 3-5 that day. Please plan on attending and come to Central Office during the day for coffee and conversation.
What are we going to do without Ron and Sandy? I’m glad you asked. Tonya plans to stay on as bookkeeper and a committee was formed to look at Central Office going forward absent a manager. We are exploring the idea of Central Office being run by volunteers from the community and possibly adjusting the hours of operation accordingly. Hopefully our new Volunteer Committee chair will be able to fill the positions to keep Central Office open as always with no change in service. What do you think can we count on you? Call me at 801-664-1206 to find out what openings are available. We have 2 and 4 hour shift openings Mon-Sat.
As you can see lots of things are happening at Central Office. Don’t you think it’s time to get involved and make your voice heard? Is it not time to do your part instead of letting someone else do it for you? Central Office needs your help. We need your help. I need your help. Together we can make Central Office meet the needs of our community. Need a New Year’s Resolu-tion suggestion? How about putting a little time and effort into Central Office so it can be here for the next person like it was for you. Think about it.
Yours in service,
Nick R.
Board Chairman Central Office SLC
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